Clear Channel Interactive has selected Encite Commerce of Lexington, KY, to develop, host and manage on-line, branded music stores for Clear Channel’s national network of radio station web sites. Clear Channel Interactive is a division of Clear Channel Worldwide, which owns more than 1,200 radio stations in the US. Clear Channel’s web stores, which will be branded by local radio stations, will sell recorded music on CDs, cassettes and vinyl.

Rather than offering a single, Clear Channel online music store, Encite will create a branded shopping environment for each Clear Channel radio station, featuring products and content specific to the market or niche on which the stations are focused. The result, says Clear Channel, will be a network of e-commerce venues that are specifically targeted toward particular groups of listeners.

“We are big believers in contextual commerce and think that this will be a significant part of our business in the future,” said Rob Slingerland, CFO of Clear Channel Interactive. “Encite Commerce, which has done a fantastic job with the more than 100 local stores they already operate for us, is the logical choice as a national partner.”